07/25/14

Chicago Jazz Festival Celebrates Sun Ra Centennial

Concerts, films, discussions and more

The Chicago Jazz Festival plans a series of events marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Sun Ra, including concerts, film screenings and panel discussions. The schedule of events, provided by the festival, is below.

Saturday, July 26th PM—Garfield Park Conservatory: As part of the Neighborhood Nights concert series, former Arkestra member Kelan Phil Cohran will bring his Kelan Zulu Ensemble comprising Oscar Brown Jr.'s daughters, vocalist and dancer Afrika Brown and Maggie Brown, as well as a few of Cohran's sons—Malik and Tycho Cohran—who comprise part of the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble.

Friday, August 22th, 8 PM—Comfort Station: An outdoor screening of the Sun Ra film, Space is the Place. The Comfort Station is located at 2579 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, Illinois.

Monday, August 25th and Tuesday, August 26th, 6 PM—Claudia Cassidy Theater of the Chicago Cultural Center: There will be screenings of the Sun Ra Films Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise and Mystery Mr. Ra. On one of the evenings, there will be a discussion with Robert Mugge, director of A Joyful Noise. There will be screenings of both films, on both nights. The Claudia Cassidy Theater is located at 78 E. Washington Ave, Chicago, Illinois.

Thursday, August 28th, 4 PM—Ganz Hall at Roosevelt University: There will be a panel discussion which will include moderator Will Faber with panelists including the Sun Ra biographer John Szwed, Arkestra leader Marshall Allen, Chicago jazz writer John Corbett and trumpeter and former Arkestra member Art Hoyle. The discussion will be preceded by a rare, short solo set by Marshall Allen. Ganz Hall is located at 430 S. Michigan, 7th fl, Chicago, Illinois.

Sunday, August 31st, 8:30 PM—The Pritzker Pavillion: The Sun Ra Arkestra, under the direction of Marshall Allen, will be closing out the Chicago Jazz Festival.